Slash or Smash

by Dee Garcia

Raven Vexley is that pumpkin spice in hand, cozy sweaters on repeat, and a deep love for all things spooky. Fitting—or maybe a little on the nose—considering she lives in Hollow’s Moor, a small town where Halloween starts at the end of August and doesn’t let up until November’s last breath. Most years, Raven and her friends spend All Hallows’ Eve party-hopping and chasing thrills, but this time, after a few drinks and half-hearted scares, they decide to switch things up.

An escape room.

The Lock Box is the Moor’s newest haunt. Owned by a stepbrother duo who take Halloween as seriously as the rest of the town, they’re dressed in full slasher gear and awaiting their next victim when Raven and her giggling, tipsy crew stumble through the front doors. After the girls select the Haunted Mansion experience, the pseudo-brothers walk them through the rules, ending with a cryptic

If the walls shift and your party is scattered, do not turn back. The manor favors those who move forward…

It’s all laughs until the lights cut out and Raven suddenly finds herself alone, cornered and vulnerable with Ghostface and Jason. Her pulse says scream, run, but something about the way those soulless, masked eyes look at her as they close in makes it all too They’re playing a new, chilling game—and she’s the grand prize.

Slash… or smash?

Genres: Halloween, Novella, Holiday, Smut, Dark Romance, Why Choose, Romance

46 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 2, 2025

About the author

Dee Garcia is a voracious fan of romance novels and a long time lover of the written word. Her mission is to craft unique, compelling stories that will give her readers a place to briefly escape the trials and tribulations of everyday reality. With headstrong heroine's who don't need a man to stand on their own two feet, Dee hopes to leave her mark in the Indie world, one plot twist at a time.

Reviews

[Kendra Renae · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️5 🌶️5


HELLOOOOOO two step brothers? Ghost face and Jason Halloween novella with smut, smut and more smut? Whew baby I’m sat🧎🏾‍♀️‍➡️.

This was a spicy quick read and I loved every bit of it and the representation for curvy girls was everything as well👏🏾. We support baddies of all sizes!

[Heather myfriendsdontread · Rating 4 out of 5]

A smutty Halloween novella involving a girl stuck in an escape room with two guys in a Ghost Face & Jason mask. So obviously it’s a good time.

My only complaint is that I just wish it would have been longer and we could have seen the characters reconnect at the end. But that’s a good problem to have, when you like a story so much you wish it was longer.

I also really liked some of the funny & sarcastic quotes in this one too. They made me smile as I read it.

[Shay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two stepbrothestepbrother, halloween, and very good spice. Perfect short read.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t hate 100% of this and it had so much potential. But out of 46 pages I wanted to dnf at 30ish. Some of it is so cringey.

[Xanny Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Slash or Smash by Dee Garcia

Raven lives for Halloween, so when her friends drag her to The Lock Box’s new haunted escape-room experience, she’s all in. Inside, they meet two masked men, one dressed as Ghostface, the other as Jason Voorhees, who turn what should’ve been jump scares into a dangerously seductive night. The story leans more on heat and atmosphere than on plot depth, using the Halloween setting to blur the line between performance and reality.

I gave this one three stars mostly for the setup, the haunted-house premise was fun, and the stepbrother duo dressed as Ghostface and Jason were the highlight.

The idea of them running the escape room and sharing partners had potential and gave the novella its edge.
Where it lost me was the female main character and her friends; they came off flat and a little irritating, which made it hard to stay invested. It’s a quick, spicy

Halloween read if you’re here for masked men, brotherly chaos, and seasonal smut but don’t expect much beyond that.

[Vanessa ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[KaylaLaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun novella! This takes place on Halloween in a haunted house-themed escape room. It’s between our FMC and two stepbrothers MMC’s (drool). It was just a quick, fun, spicy good time. I actually wish it was a little longer. I will definitely check out the rest of this series when the other holidays come around.

[El · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, spicy, and you can inhale it in one sitting! I know I did in under an hour. 😉

I really liked the characters and had been looking forward to checking this out. I wasn't disappointed and hope to find more time to check out the author's work. ☺️

Notes: Check the author's notes. If you need depth and heavy plots, this one may not scratch that specific itch. I'd recommend checking it out either way because I think Dee did a great job! 🖤

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean what a short little read! The spice was great and I get this is a novella but a little more to it would have been perfect! But still it told a quick and easy story and it was a whole vibe. Really liked it!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️. Short, sweet, and very much to the point! I loved the concept of the story being in an escape room and having masked men? Yes, please. Before entering the room, the hint was there, but will they listen? 🙃 I enjoyed this one!

[thesubplot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smash for sure.

[Lucy Cottee · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first Novella, Too much smut and not enough plot for me, personally. It was however well written and a very quick read. The author did warn about the lack of plot.

[Rpvbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75!!

[Sharon🔮👽 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spicy, Quick, & Spooky all wrapped up. I loved it all!

[lauu 𖤐⭒ · Rating 2 out of 5]

a quien no le molaría hacer un trio con ghostface y jason? 🫦🫦🫦🫦🫦

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a short Halloween read, one without a plot but spicy and smutty, this is it. A couple of masked men (MMF), an escape room... and happy Halloween to the protagonist!

[★ Reshika · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️/5⭐️

Easy and fun had no plot full on smut
But I enjoyed it I finished it in like 30 minutes
I just wished the ending was different like the three of them getting together

[Kirsten · Rating 2 out of 5]

guys please …

[Katie Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sure these types of books are for *someone* just not me 🙃 Even for a novella, the characters and their dialogues were one-dimensional and irritating. The haunted house/escape room could have been fun but I understand that wasn’t the focus of the book. I also think “safe word” should have been discussed but again, I’m sure I’m just not the target audience for this trope lol.

[Amanda Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slash or Smash by Dee Garcia is a high‑tension, Halloween‑soaked thriller that flips a cozy seasonal vibe into something darker and very unpredictable. The small‑town setting and haunted escape‑room premise bring an eerie atmosphere, while the protagonist’s jolt from fun to survival pulls you into the action fast. The pacing is one‑breath and the stakes feel instantly personal, though character development takes a back‑seat to the thrills. If you’re in the mood for a short, spooky ride with a cinematic twist, this one delivers.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5☆'s
Super quick read. Spicy. Would've been at least 4☆'s but there are way too many typos in such a short amount of pages.
Please edit your books before publishing!

[Amanda C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twisted, filthy, and downright addictive—this book wrecked me in the best way

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Slash or Smash by Dee Garcia was pure chaotic perfection. From the very first page, I knew I was in for a wild ride, and Dee absolutely delivered. The story is sharp and unrelenting, with the perfect mix of dark intensity, laugh-out-loud moments, and jaw-dropping spice that left me hooked from start to finish.

The characters? Unhinged, magnetic, and impossible not to love. Their banter and chemistry were electric, and every single interaction felt like a spark waiting to explode. I adored how unapologetically bold this book was—it never held back, not in the violence, not in the passion, and definitely not in the heat.

And let’s talk about the spice. 🔥 This was five-alarm, off-the-charts, melt-your-Kindle kind of spice. Creative, filthy, and executed so well that it kept me flipping the pages just to see what outrageous, delicious moment was coming next.

If you want a dark romance that doesn’t play it safe, one that’s equal parts wicked fun and seriously hot, Slash or Smash is it. Dee Garcia has secured her spot as an auto-buy author for me, and I cannot wait to see what madness she cooks up next.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Happy Halloween to meee.”

Pure smut, no plot. No tricks, all treats.

MMF, DVP, masked men, stepbrothers.

I really enjoyed this though. My favorite out of the series…I think I’m missing the third one. I would totally read a longer version of these three or an expanded universe of these characters because we’re introduced to Raven’s friends too.

[Lora · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 ⭐️

Finally made it to my Halloween read, eleven days late…. This Halloween Novella is exactly what the Author’s note states. Smutty little story with little plot! Wham, bam, thank you ma’am! Hello, Ghostface! 👻
🎃 Even though it was a novella, I wanted a wee bit more. 🫦But it delivered exactly what it needed to. lol

[Sarah (in Slump mode) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing wasn't the best. There were many spots I had to reread multiple times just to try to figure out what the author was trying to get across but the premise of the story was good enough that 50 pages wasn't much of a sacrifice of my time lol

[Bree Bohle · Rating 1 out of 5]

at least this one was step family and not blood family - still awful but one step above the christmas one.

bear with me while i read all 5 of these awful smutty novellas simply because i started them and now i must finish them

[Midnight Librarian (Nicky)]

My oh my… Dee Garcia, you absolutely slayed with this one! 🔥 The heat in this book had me fanning myself and blushing in the best way. The spice was deliciously intense, and I loved every single page! 🔥✨

[Bookishlyvenus ⋆˚࿔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

short and spicy 🌶️

[Emily Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quickie for sure.

When the author said it would be over in a “wham bam thank you ma’am” she was not kidding 😆

Masked men. An escape room. Halloween. What more could you ask for

[Tiffany Pizana · Rating 3 out of 5]

But like I want more